KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem strongly condemned the visit MP Abdul Hameed Dashti made to the Mughniya family, noting that it was very provocative, irresponsible and unacceptable. Speaker Ghanem noted that such a visit does not help in enhancing national unity and solidarity and that the lawmaker alone ought to be held responsible for it. Dashti was reportedly in Lebanon recently where he visited the family of Imad Mughniya; a Hezbollah member who is believed to have been responsible for the hijacking of the ‘Jabriya’ Kuwait Airways plane in 1988, which resulted in the death of two Kuwaiti passengers on board.

Mughniya died in a car bomb in Syria in 2008. MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji called for arresting and questioning Dashti with regard to the visit. Meanwhile, MP Nabil Al-Fadhl condemned the visit, saying that for all Kuwaitis, Mughniya is known as the man who took part in the hijacking of a Kuwaiti plane and the killing of Kuwaiti citizens. “Dr Dashti should not have hurt Kuwaitis and victims’ families’ feelings!” he exclaimed.

Also commenting on the visit, MP Abdullah Al-Adwani described the visit as provocative to all Kuwaitis. “I wish Dashti had visited the Jabriya flight victims’ families and kissed their heads instead! But he only represents himself,” he said. MP Hamdan Al-Azmi meanwhile criticized what he described as the government’s silence towards such an unacceptable provocative action of glorifying one of Kuwait’s worst enemies and visiting his family and forgetting all about the Al-Jabriya flight hijack in the 1980s and the murdering of Kuwaiti citizens. “This is typical of Dashti,” he said, noting that he only blamed those keeping silent about it. “What if someone visited the family of Al-Sadiq Mosque bomber and kissed them on the forehead... will they also keep silent?!” he wondered. He blamed Dashti’s supporters in both powers and said, “You reap what you sow!” reminding them that Dashti had previously visited Bashar Al-Assad.

Martyred hero
On the other hand, MP Dashti explained that his visit to the family of the ‘martyred hero’ Imad Mughniya, as he referred to him, was one to the family of a hero who had resisted the Israeli occupation until he was assassinated “at the very same time when MP Turaiji and his likes of apparent and hidden Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic State affiliates only fought Israel with words and sophisticated talk,” he said. He urged Turaiji to stop profiteering and pretending to be someone else. “You are only trying to fish in murky waters but the Kuwaiti people are well aware of such attempts,” he said.

Jahra blackouts
MP Sultan Al-Shemmari strongly criticized Minister of Electricity and Water and Minister of Public Works Ahmad Al-Jassar for blackouts reported in Jahra and other areas over the past few days. “It is strange how MEW keeps silent about these blackouts,” He said. “The people are fed up with such, almost daily blackouts during very hot weather.” He warned that he would question Minister Jassar in parliament. Notably, another blackout was reported yesterday noon in some areas in Jahra.